Six Of Crows and A Court Of Thorns And Roses
by cloudwritings
Summary: How are two mortals likely to fare Under The Mountain? Two thieves with no magic, no understanding of the world they've just been thrown into and no way out. An Acrobat and a Crime Lord, against one of the most powerful monsters alive. Only Kaz Brekker and Inej Ghafa could make this one out alive (with the help of a few unlikely alliances)...
1. Chapter 1

**1- Ketterdam Rooftops**

 **Inej**

"One golden thing. That's all I want from tonight. Just one thing made of gold." He said 'gold' like others would say a daughter's name or an ancient secret. Inej wasn't particularly concerned with what Kaz wanted to nick, but she was concerned with where they were going. The two of them were quickly and quietly making their way across the west side of town. They didn't go this way very often- it was Dime Lion territory- and there were only a few wealthy merchants there anyway. Nothing all that interesting and nothing to provoke Kaz Brekker...

Even still, they were currently sprinting across the rooftops of Ketterdam. And as much as Inej was comforted by the concealing darkness, with both of them it wasn't as silent as she would have liked. She felt much too exposed.

"Where are we even going?"

"Anywhere we like, Wraith. Anywhere." She had known it was futile asking. Kaz would only ever reveal what was necessary.

It was futile doing anything, Inej supposed. But Kaz was right: she was the Wraith, and she could go anywhere.

Yet she was stuck running across rooftops with thieves.

Kaz looked back at her finally and gave her an uninterpretable grin. "There's a new merchant in town that we haven't introduced ourselves too, and I think it's about time." Whether Kaz has noticed her unease from the openness of the rooftops or not was unclear, but he added: "We're taking the tunnels."

The tunnels he referred to, were the mazes beneath the city. Rarely used and hard to locate, even Inej hadn't been in them for a while.

With a dramatic flourish, Kaz jumped from the roof they were running across and landed on a balcony, before descending the wall. Inej followed, easing her way over the bricks, quickly and silently. She tried to recall where the tunnel's entrances were and where they all led, but she found she couldn't recall much. How had she forgotten? It must have been longer than she thought.

Kaz led them to one of the rivers that fed into the True Sea. It was wide and lined with bridges, the sight triggering a memory in Inej that she couldn't quite recall. The last time she'd been in the tunnels, they'd been trying to lose angry gamblers tailing Jesper. That had been a loud and happy night as he celebrated his victory with his contagious joy.

Now the whole night was silent, as if waiting for Kaz and her to make a wrong move- daring them too.

But the night should have know better by now. Dirtyhands ruled the night.

Kaz descended over some rocks that lined the river bank, before twisting himself up onto a ledge of stone under one of the bridges. Why they going under the bridges and not just over them, Inej had no idea.

The bridges themselves weren't anything elaborate but they were large and good cover. Kaz was inching himself along the wall, slowly without the guidance of his cane (and careful to not fall else he got his precious new boots wet), while Inej stepped nimbly and surely behind him.

Then, as if the night had cloaked him, Kaz disappeared. Inej stopped. He had only be a few paces a head of her.

Trying to discern the outline of a body by moonlight was difficult, and now under the shadows of the bridge near impossible, but she was sure that Kaz was no longer ahead of her.

Inej took a few cautious steps forward. An impatient noise came from her left as an arm reach out from the wall of the bridge. "Do take your time, won't you." He said.

Kaz pulled her after him into the mouth of a tunnel, set into the wall of the bridge. Oh, Inej thought.

She was fairly certain she had never been this way, she would have remembered that.

And then they were running again.

Kaz, cane in hand and cloak flaring behind him, and Inej, silencing herself until any other person would have forgotten she was there. But Kaz never did. She got the feeling Kaz couldn't forget.

Was that so he would notices when she was gone? So she couldn't escape?

She doubted it. She knew she couldn't escape for many reasons- her debt being the least of them.

Too stupidly loyal, she thought begrudgingly.

They had been running in a straight line and Inej started to wonder how Kaz knew where he was going. It was pitch black and he was still running with speed and confidence, Inej could hear from his footfalls.

The darkness of the tunnels started to ease. There was a dim glowing ahead.

Kaz didn't stop.

Inej couldn't see what it was, with Kaz's body in front of her, but she knew it was bright from the amount of rock and the hard lines of Kaz she could now see.

Kaz ran and ran. Inej followed.

She could now see the detail of the rock around them, even though it was black. Inej couldn't recall any black stones mined in Kerch, but kept running.

Too stupidly loyal.

The light loomed until everything was unnaturally bright. No cover, no hiding spaces. Kaz kept running.

And then they were through.

No more tunnels or darkness or light. Inej stumbled, for the first time in years, as her eyes adjusted- as her whole body adjusted.

It didn't feel like they came out of the tunnel or to the end of it. This was a different place entirely and now her body felt wrong- elongated and animal like.

Kaz was nowhere to be seen and Inej found herself in what looked to be a courtroom...A black throne directly in front of her.

Upon the throne lounged a beautiful woman, with red-gold hair, wearing what looked to be a ring with a human eye in it.


	2. Chapter 2

**2- Pointy Ears**

 **Rhysand**

Even he struggled to keep his face impassive as the mortal stumbled out of a portal and across the courtroom floor. Poor, poor human girl. Tonight she would meet her end.

Amarantha cleared her throat.

The mortal looked up from her wild attempt to take in the room and finally stared at Amarantha's ears. Many mortals did that, he noted. He didn't know what they're ever expecting.

"What business do you have here mortal filth?" Amarantha asked, almost sweetly.

The human, as if sensing the falseness of the polite tone in the tyrant's voice, flicked a blade into her hand, now staring intently at Amarantha's eyes. Brave and stupid then. She still hadn't replied.

The girl was too dark skinned to have been from below the wall, so where was she from?

Amarantha waved her curved fingernails lazily in Rhysand's direction. Right then, he thought bitterly.

Rhysand slid his hands into his pockets as he strode forward from his place next to the raised dais that held her throne. He took hold of the mortal's mind as gently as possible but it was no good. That loosely, he couldn't discern individual thoughts, though it was enough to work out she was thinking in a very strange language. She stood perfectly straight and still, eyes still locked on Amarantha as he clawed through her mind a little more just to try and find a name.

The fact that he didn't know the language didn't matter, he could still understand her perfectly- lots of very confused and very panicked curses and a couple prayers to some Gods he'd never heard of. However, Amarantha didn't know this.

He let go of her mind a little so she could stand on her own. She didn't sink to her knees or cry out. She just stood still and rotated the hilt of the knife in her hand in small, sharp movements, still staring at the queen.

"The thing is foreign. I've never heard that language before."

But apparently the mortal knew theirs as she started to translate what he'd said in her head. Her gaze snapped to his as she noticed his for the first time.

 _Maybe I was wrong about Kaz..._ She thought.

Rhysand wondered who Kaz was as he smirked at her like I knew everything about her. Truth was there was so much in her mind- so much different- that he hadn't had time to work out what kind of human she was. He could see the colours, though- very Night Court.

'Hello darling', he whispered into her mind. Her thoughts jumped but she showed no outward sign of having heard him. Good.

Maybe he was in a bad mood, maybe he wanted to push her or maybe he was warning her as I added: 'You're going to die tonight'.

 _This isn't Grisha magic... Grisha's can't actually read thoughts, can they?_

So she was used to magic, but not of this kind. He was starting to work out that not only was she foreign, she wasn't a mortal of this land- she had no idea who or what the Fae were.

I cocked my head to the side in lazy puzzlement. Her sent interested him; it was overpoweringly human as if her own body was trying to hide something underneath.

Who was this little mortal, all dark hair, and dark skin, who managed to run through a portal?

Was Amarantha opening portals into the other mortal worlds again? That thought didn't sit well with Rhysand at all.

 _Oh no, Didn't Kaz say Jesper was meant to follow us later? Crap._

He didn't know who this Kaz was, or why he was so interested.

His brave little mortal threw her gaze back up to Amarantha as the Queen said: "Are you planning on using that knife on us, stupid animal?" When the girl said nothing, all politeness had fled from Amarantha's voice. "You will answer me, or are you're kind too illiterate to even converse now?"

Rhys could hear the girl translating what had been said through her mind, yet she still didn't speak. She now looked around, gauging the people (and no doubt exists) near her. She had a predators mind then, not stifled by fear.

'What's your name, darling?' He whispered to her mind. She didn't mean to but involuntarily thought up: _Inej_.

"Bind it and put it in the cells. We'll have fun with it another day." The girl didn't panic, only slid onto the balls of her feet, putting herself into a fighting stance. An Attor came to put rope around her wrists. This was usually just so the mortals didn't get it into their heads that they could get away, not that they could or it was necessary.

Inej whirled and swung the knife in a way that was admittedly impressive- for a mortal. But, of course, a steel blade did her no good her. The ropes were around her wrists, at her back in moments.

However, her thoughts weren't on the fact that she was tied up, she didn't seem bothered at all.

 _I've fought off Grisha blindfolded before, what's going on? A couple of pointy ears and I'm all off balance._

He wondered what she was usually like then...

 _Where is Kaz, anyway?_

"Your Majesty," Said the second Attor that had just walked in. "I found this in one of your tunnels." He gestured to the human he carried by the arm. The boy was dark, not in quite the same way as the girl, with formal clothes on. He also appeared to be limping slightly and very cross. Inej looked round at the boy and thought: _Kaz, what have you done, you idiot?_

The boy, Kaz, looked across at Inej, eye's widening, and thought's tumbling.


	3. Chapter 3

**3- Defiance**

 **Inej**

"Oh, now this is fun." The Queen laughed. "Is this your handsome prince coming to the rescue."

It seemed that Kaz didn't particularly like this comment, as he retorted back in their language, correcting himself when he realized nobody had understood him.

"Inej doesn't need rescuing. She's quite capable of looking after herself." Inej looked down scowling.

 _The stupid boy._

Inej could see in the corner of her eye that the mind-reader was grinning, subtlety but darkly.

'Mind-shatterer.' He corrected, in her mind... She fought back the urge to shiver.

Inej tried to silence her thoughts, and then think of nothing at all, but she knew that would never work. And besides, she needed to think of a way out of here.

Inej threw a glance at Kaz who was standing, or being held, a couple of steps away from her. She could see he was staring at the golden plate, on a stand at the foot of the dais. Inej knew, just from the look in his eye, that he wasn't going to leave without it.

 _This is what you're loyal to_ , a voice in the back of her mind chided her. _A thief that would put a lump of gold above both of your's safety._

Inej supposed that's what they did every day, though, just this time there are people with pointy ears, rolling darknesses and the ability to shatter minds without taking their hands out of their pockets.

Inej was trying not to move around. She was overcome with the urge to fidget. She felt out of touch with her body, her arm too long and the floor too far away.

The knife in her hand felt like a dead weight. In that moment, Inej couldn't remember the name of this one. She knew it was useless anyway: if The Night standing at the side could shatter minds, she dreaded finding out power the woman on the throne wielded.

"I'm too tired. Lock them up. We'll play another day, little beasts, I promise." The red queen said, far too kindly.

Suddenly, Kaz lurched towards Inej and went as though he was going to kiss her ear. She was so surprised she stayed completely still. The queen snorted a laugh and the rest of the court surrounding them seemed to be as surprised as Inej. What on earth was he doing?

Quickly, Kaz bit into her hair and then stood back, once again completely composed. Only when a few strands of hair fell out of place and Inej saw Kaz gulp did she realize what he'd done. He hadn't eaten her hair, or kissed her... He'd swallowed her hair pin...

The queen was grinning. Inej quickly realized that it very much looked like Kaz, thinking they were doomed to die tonight, had nobly declared his love for her. Inej tried not to scoff.

Absentmindedly, Inej had loosened the rope around her wrists. She only realized when they started to peel from her skin. She'd only been trying to get used to the feeling of her body. Maybe the lack of freedom, and having to get herself out on her own, was something she was so used too that it was now a reflex.

She felt weird and out of control of her body. Was she really that unsettled by these people- or whatever they were?

'We are Faeries.' Whispered The Night, still standing lazily in the corner, looking amused and uninterested- as though he wasn't speaking to Inej in her mind. He stood next to the throne and looked regal enough to hold the importance to do so. Inej knew he was powerful but she wondered about the extensity as she observed the shadows gathered at his feet and the starlight in his eyes.

'That's hellfire, Love.' _Okay then_ , Inej thought back. What did one have to do to merit hellfire for irises?

Maybe that was one of the reasons that nobody in the room seemed to be looking at The Night. 'Rhysand, High Fae. Lord of the Night Court.' He Informed her. _Nice name_ , she thought back irritatedly.

Inej had definitely been wrong when she had said Kaz ruled the night- here was the Lord of it.

The whole mind reading thing was getting more and more concerning.

'Just wait until you see my wings, Darling." From his tone, Inej guessed he was amused by everything; perhaps especially her nickname for him.

She glanced around. Most of the Faeries were gathered around Kaz and her, meaning, she quickly realized, they could all see she had unbound her rope.

Also, she distractedly noted, this didn't happen very often. They came to watch the two dumb mortals who were stupid enough to get themselves into this situation.

As it turns out, Inej had had every reason to worry about her untied rope being seen.

"Your gracious majesty," Started a voice so pompous, Inej doubted even Kaz could imitate it. "The little mutt here has untied herself." Oh...

The Night- Rhysand- raised an eyebrow in the seemingly unending amusement of his.

The queen, however, laughed humorlessly.

"Well, Mortal. How heroic." She paused her eyes staring straight into Inej's. "Maybe I can spare a few extra moments for these beasts tonight." She declared.

Inej's stomach sank.

Rhysand stood up a little straighter and Kaz threw a glance towards Inej- one that seemed to read Who does she think she is?

 _Stupid Kaz. Stupid._

"Mortal, do you know what happens to those who try to defy me?"

Inej hadn't answered any of her other questions and didn't really see a reason to start now. Inej had spent her whole life in the support of silence- it was dependable. But now, when the silence of the court would have been comforting, it wasn't. It was there to make way for her. Inej felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

Inej could sense the pity in the Faeries eyes as she looked round once more. Something very, very bad was about to happen.

What kind of Queen was this?

"Tell me Mortal, have you ever been whipped?"

Inej froze her thoughts. Only one word allowed through:

Plenty.


	4. Chapter 4

**4- Warm Darkness**

 **Inej**

This time, it was not a light stealing chocker of diamonds that Inej had to stare at, but a light stealing ring. Hair, eyes, shadows- everything about this woman was darkness. Not the enticing darkness of the Lord Rhysand standing next to The Queen, but a darkness that disgusts and makes you cringe away.

Rough hands- because they're always rough, that doesn't change- grabbed Inej by both unbound wrists. She didn't look back to see who it was. Inej continued to stare straight at The Queen, face emotionless.

She was pushed to the floor as the room went silent. Inej knew especially with her weird body that nobody was moving, nobody was making a sound. The floor was the kind of cold that Inej knew would be reliving in a few moments; when the blood was scorching her skin and her face was too hot with tears, the ice cold floor would be her rock.

One change from the memories, was her clothes were not removed. If she didn't have the mind to remember each and every detail, the dreams that still haunted her would never let her forget. But this time, the clothes stayed.

Inej had made a promise when she first got out of The Peacock's hands. A silly, little girls promise, that she would never let someone abuse her like she had. No one would touch her.

In Ketterdam she was untouchable. She was The Wraith.

Here she was a silly little girl with promises she had no power to uphold.

The cold of the floor seeping through her thin pants was comforting, she told herself. ' _Head held high.'_

Inej wanted to nod in agreement with herself, but the silence was faster. There had been no noise at all before, but this was a silence that was observing, waiting. The silences one growing up in Ketterdam learnt to listen for and be scared of.

And the whip was there.

One.

Inej numbly thought about the sensations her body was going through. She had always thought of whipping as laying fire against the skin; now she could deliberate that it was much more like fire being raised from within your flesh to meet a burning and raw slice of metal and leather.

She didn't know why she only felt this now.

Two.

Blood soaked her clothes, she could feel it staining and seeping and unstoppable. The cold floor was her rock.

Three.

She saw darkness. Untamed and alit, surging through her vision. Stars pooled at her feet and her mind calmed. The Night was warm and comforting- her fortress and cover.

Four.

 _'Temporary, survivable,'_ a whisper in her mind reminded her.

Five.

' _Bear the unbearable and live on_.'

The stars at her feet stared like eyes, smiling sadly as if they understood the pain first hand. They gathered around her and looked up, waiting. _'One more,'_ they said.

Six.

The leather sliced through already opened wounds and she could feel metal pieces wedging into her flesh.

The pain she knew she could and would bear was unbearable. In that second there was no longer any proud pretences. Inej Ghafa was in burning agony and there was nothing she could do but scream.

So she screamed.

And so did another.

 _'No_. _Save your tears for later. Don't let her hear you scream.'_

It was only then that Inej actually acknowledged the voice and that fact that it wasn't her own. That voice was in her mind. It was Rhysand again.

He stared straight at her, finally lacking his ever present amusement, but still holding no other emotions.

Inej could still feel the ghost of the leather on her skin, she was still in shock, but her mind finally acknowledged that it was over. Her thoughts cleared as she tried to work out if the darkness at her feet had been real and where that scream came from.

The court began to move again.

Inej didn't dare. It was over.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" The Red Queen began. "That sure was a heart felt grunt from a beast so pitiless." But she wasn't talking to Inej. She looked around at her court. Whatever she saw seemed to satisfy her as she continued: "I think we're done here for tonight, take the boy to the cells." With a grin, she added, "Rhysand, you've been so good. Why don't you have the night off and take this animal with you- a little pet- my treat."

Kaz, who Inej finally realised was behind her, growled.

It had been his scream, she knew.

It had also been his fault.

Too, stupidly, loyal.

 _Did really take a night of being beaten by an evil queen in a foreign land for you to realise there nothing worth being loyal to?_

Now, Inej would be forced into the hands of a lord of darkness, who looked as if he was ready to tear her apart. And harming his investments annoyed Kaz Brekker.

The Queen, it seemed, knew how to manipulate, just like Kaz did.

And Kaz didn't like being beaten at his own game.

Though, he didn't mind prison cells.

Well, Kaz was going to have to save himself because The Wraith was fighting her own battle, and it might take a while.

 _'We'll have fun, my darling, there's nothing to worry about_.' The grin spread across Rhysand's face suggested otherwise.

Rough hands picked her up once more and lead her towards the door. Inej would survive tonight- if only to kick Kaz in the head, she would survive.

But for now, Inej was happy to get out of the courtroom- she needed to clean her wounds and clear her thoughts.

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 **Also, I'm so excited about reading ACOMAF whoooo**


	5. Chapter 5

**5- Being Fae**

 **Rhysand**

He wasn't actually entirely sure when the last time he had spent a full night in his own room had been. He also wasn't really sure what he was meant to do with the girl. It was clear that Amarantha had only given her to him to annoy the boy- Kaz- but he still didn't really know what she intended for him. There was never only one reason, everything always punished more than one person, and at this time, Rhys couldn't work out how this was punishment for him.

He strolled across the room and laid down, onto the bed. Inej stood there looking mildly uncomfortable but mainly in pain. Right, her back.

"Come her, little one. I won't bite." She took a tentative step forward before looking around her once more as if looking for an escape route. "You can try the balcony," He said, pointing towards the half-halfheartedly cut out ledge in the rock, "Though, I'll warn you there's quite a drop and nowhere you could really go."

He could feel the servant boy coming towards the door, hopefully in reply to his request for water that had been quite some time ago. Rhysand opened the door and took the bowl from the boy before placing it down onto a table-shaped lump of rock. Needless to say, his room wasn't really much to look at. Just lots of black rock.

He motioned toward Inej, signalling for her to come closer. She walked nimbly and made her way over. Very slowly. Rhysand may have been immortal but he definitely didn't have the patience of a saint. He grabbed her arm and pulled her down onto the table next to the water. She squealed but didn't protest further. He always forgot how quickly mortals got tired.

"Now, my darling, I'm going to have to take this off," He said, gesturing to the top that was peeling from her skin, "Otherwise the blood will stick it to your skin and that will be very unpleasant indeed."

She nodded but made no attempt to remove the clothing. _Alright then._

He gently began to pull the fabric from her skin, trying to cause as little pain as possible since it had already started sticking. Her scent was overpoweringly of blood and mortality but there was something else. Something less foreign, something he was used too but in a different light.

Once the clothes came off, Rhysand found another cloth to clean up her back. He washed her wounds, and healed them slightly (as much as he thought her human body could take) and found some bandaging fabric.

Working silently, he tried to think of something to say but came up with nothing. How could he apologise when he had stood and done nothing? Calming her mind had been nothing. It would never be enough. If this mortal got out of her alive, she would live on thinking that that was all Fae's customary greeting to humans. What kind of a welcoming was that?

To give his hands something to do after he had finished on her back, he started to untie her hair. It was tight but done low and covered her ears- it can't have been very comfortable.

She now smelt less of blood and more like the something else- the Night Court? Her hair smelt of smoke but her body gave off an ancient scent- as if it had existed longer than time but was new to her.

Ancient like him...

But she smelt so strongly of mortality and had had no idea what Faeries were, how could she possibly be Fae?

Inej sat very still as Rhysand lifted her hair. How was it even possible?

Where her mortal ears should have been round, hers went up into delicate points, very much like his own. He thought about stroking them but then decided against it as it might frighten her.

"My darling, look at this." Her hand went up to her ears immediately, as if she was half expecting it. "I presume they don't normally look like that."

She shook her head. "Am I... Am I one of you people?" She didn't really seem to like the idea, Rhysand noted. He guessed, if she believed they were all like Amarantha, he wouldn't really want to be one of them either.

And maybe they did all have to be like Amarantha. That was a part of her game. You played like her or you didn't play at all.

She was Fae in this dimension only, then. The portal she came through, where did it lead? Where did this little Fae come from?

Rhysand tried- and miserably failed at calming the girl down by means of conversation:"Oh, I wonder what powers you possess, My darling." Consequently, she looked intensely more distressed at this idea.

"Do you all have the power to shatter minds?" She asked.

"Oh no, that's just me in this century. I did use to know a lad who had the same ability but he, unfortunately, didn't find favoured in Amarantha's eyes." Rhysand thought a request for tea at a servant passing in the corridors outside.

"Who's Amarantha?"

"The lady on the throne."

"Is she not a queen?" _She wishes_ , Rhysand thought. A knock sounded, announcing the tea had arrived.

"Not all who bask in big chairs wear real crowns, My darling." He said as he walked over to the door to collect the tea.

"I'm not your darling." _Oh, okay then._

"You really should respect people who have just cleaned up your wounds, dear." He gave her a smirk, "Especially if they can shatter minds."

Inej was the fiery sort, it seemed as she then thought some impressively creative curses at him. He nearly spilt the tea that he was carrying.

"What other powers do you have?" She asked, suddenly looking up and down his body. Perhaps she was trying to work out what he could do by just searching him, or perhaps trying to find a weakness.

He offered her a cup as he said: "Oh only half as much as I use to be able to. I can still read and shatter you mind, oh as well as fly- though I haven't done that in a while." He wasn't sure if she'd detected the bitter tone he'd been unable to keep out of his voice.

"How do you fly? Do stand on the air?" She was very inquisitive and didn't seem to be put off by anything. He was honestly very curious to see what powers she possessed.

"Wings, dear." He didn't really know what to say. He knew she was trying to distract herself from facing the truth and he shouldn't let her. He also wanted to know more himself but he couldn't help but give her a few more moments of ignorance.

 **Hey guys thanks for the support**

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 **I would also like to point out, as ACOMAF has just come out (and it's so good), that this story is set before both books and so doesn't effect the story line of ACOMAF or anything like that**

 **Until next time (which is probably Wednesday or something),**

 **Adiós**


	6. Chapter 6

**6- Wings of the Night**

 **Inej**

She knew she should have been focused on working out her new body or finding an exit, but she couldn't help the fascinated pull she felt towards this warrior. His elongated limbs were elegant, not gangly like Jesper. His centuries old face was dark and beautiful. Inej didn't think she'd really thought about someone's looks this way before.

It wasn't that she was interested romantically. She was already coming across as the silly little mortal girl, she didn't need him hearing those kinds of thoughts.

But she wanted to see those wings. She really did.

Distantly, she thought about what she might have, what powers, but her all-consuming thoughts were of those wings.

What was it like to be truly free- to be able to fly; defy even the laws of gravity completely and wholly for as long as you wanted? As much as Inej loved jumping through buildings and landscaped, the ground was only a slight barrier for this male and she was so jealous.

Even the tight bonds of Ketterdam couldn't hold her if she could fly.

Rhysand was looking at her with a contemplative look on his face.

"A question for a question." He said.

 _Okay then._

"Can I see your wings," May as well ask, she was probably going to die tonight anyway.

He could read minds and yet he still looked slightly stunned.

She didn't expect him to comply and the seconds of silence that followed were enough to suggest he wouldn't.

But then there was a stir and shadows gathered around him.

Slowly great darkness unfolded from behind him. Feathery, yet with a look of leather to them. Inej wanted to touch them badly but she didn't want to invade the image that was this High Lord. He was Night, all-consuming.

His wings spanned a great length of the room and he stood in between them as if they were a crown. _Behold us and weep_ , they cried.

"My turn," he stated. "What's it like where you live?"

Inej wasn't sure what she was expecting, but to describe Ketterdam wasn't it.

Slowly, she said: "It's dark, ruled by thieves and thieves dressed nicely who call themselves merchants." She didn't know where else to begin. "There are good people hidden between the thieves, but not many." Inej thought of Jesper and Nina. She might never see them again, she realised with a start. "How did we get here?" She asked quickly.

"Portal, I presume." Said the male. Inej focused on the wings again as he continued. "They involve very little magic but open across worlds." He then looked around the room and walked towards a pile of books.

"But there aren't any of your people back home," Inej tried to imagine this kind of person living in the Slates. "Only brutes and stupid little girls." She whispered to herself.

"You don't strike me as stupid, girl. Little, maybe, but not stupid." He smirked at her. _Right, special hearing._

Inej thought about loyalty, was that stupid? It could get you killed and all for nothing if it's the wrong cause...

 _Stupid little girl,_ she thought to herself.

She didn't know if they were still doing the question thing, but asked: "Is loyalty bad?"

He paused his scanning the book he was looking at. He tucked his wings back in before continuing.

"Yes." He looked down once more before meeting her eye again to continue. "If misplaced. There are those loyal to the lady on the thrown in there. _That_ loyalty is bad. Why, who are you loyal to?"

Inej wasn't about to answer that, he probably knew anyway.

"A question for a question," he reminded her smugly, looking down at his book once more.

"The boy." Inej spat. She couldn't help it. Her mother wouldn't recognise her and her father would cast her out. _Playing with thieves and cheats, Inej?_

She didn't know why she was only now acknowledging all this. And was here really the best place for answers?

"And why is that boy such a bad thing?" The Lord questioned, finally looking up from the book. _What on earth was so interesting about it?_

"He's a liar and a thief and manipulative and too smart and scary and power hungry and greedy and dark and- and not human." Inej didn't think she'd had this long a conversation in a while, especially not with a stranger.

"Neither are you." He pointed out. Inej stopped. She thought about it and supposed he was right- humans don't have pointy ears. This must be a dream, she concluded. "And I'm dark and greedy and manipulative," He continued. "You're not afraid of me." It wasn't a question.

"I don't work for you." Inej tried to reason.

"Those loyal to Amarantha are only loyal out of fear or admiration of her wickedness." He placed the book down onto the table, before strolling towards Inej, wings still hovering at his back. "Your boy cares for you."

Inej stared and then scoffed.

"Kaz doesn't feel bad for anyone but himself."

"Why did he scream for you then?" The Lord of the Night picked Inej's knives up off the bed. Inej was intending on ignoring that. "We are twisted creatures but most of us still feel. We all wear masks. Your boy wears one, just as you do, Wraith." _How does he know that name? Right, mind reading._

He handed the knives to her. Inej balanced one in each palm. The Lord was close now, just in front of her. "As long as he is good to you; as long as it is what you want, stay loyal Wraith."

This male was ancient- and in pain- Inej could recognise that. She couldn't imagine how many people he'd lost or had betrayed him or betrayed himself. He knew sadness and greed and goodness. Inej had once thought herself smart and calculating and good.

The Lord of the Night Court knew what hid in the darkest of place but still trusted Inej- trusted her to be good.

Inej weighed the sharp metal in her hands. Her parents might not recognise her, but Kaz did. She did. She was the Wraith.

And tonight she would reclaim herself.

With pointy ears and long limbs.

 _This should be interesting._

The Night was still standing in front of her looking intrigued. He was staring at her hands.

The metal she was holding started to glow and melt. Inej cursed as she watched in awe as they bent into a new position. Her knives grew.

The Wraith finally had her claws.

The Lord's eyes widened as he watched her reshape the weapons with only thought. "I guess we know something you can do, little one."

Power. She was the Wraith and she was power.

 _Okay, maybe Kaz wasn't the only power hungry one..._

"Oh, by the way," The Lord added casually. "All the portals close at midnight." _So that's what he learnt from that book._


	7. Chapter 7

**7- Lock Pick**

 **Kaz**

Kaz flicked his head from left to right. The machine-like guard had knocked him out because he was 'causing too much trouble.' Kaz decided it was best not to argue with the warrior- he was tall, muscled, white-haired and had an odd, old smell to him- like stone ruins or bones. He had tattoos running up his right arm and across half his face. Kaz wasn't intimidated, of course. He was just put out by his lack of cane and Wraith. He'd faced worse, but was used to different settings and, well, humans.

He was pretty sure they weren't human, by this point.

So as he was dragged away from the courtroom and Inej and the stupid, pointy-eared queen, he had been knocked unconscious; only to wake up in an even darker, smaller room.

He awoke suddenly, thankfully not feeling drowsy. He was in a cell, he deduced from quick observations. Kaz touched a hand to the back pocket on his left leg and then to the lining of his coat's picks- Inej's hair pin and the spare he always carried. But where the hell were they?

It shouldn't have taken so long- Kaz put it down to his eyes adjusting to the dark- but it was only then that he noticed another male sitting across from him. Red hair, light, but tanned skin. "Lucien." He coughed out as a greeting.

Kaz was in a foul mood- running into another world; being held captives by non-humans and then being parted from his cane did do that to him. Regardless, he still put up a cocky front: "And what humungous crimes have you committed to land yourself in this fine accommodation?"

"Treason, apparently." He coughed some more. "I don't know who against." He looked up at Kaz, who was now standing in front of the man, giving him a clear view of what seemed to be a mechanical eye. "Brothers are pricks," Lucien added.

Kaz hummed in seeming agreement. "Where are we?"

"You shouldn't be alive, human."

"Yes, but where are we?"

"She never lets them live." Kaz was getting increasingly annoyed at this half-wit until he continued. "You're Under The Mountain and trust me when I say that not somewhere you want to be."

"I very rarely find I'm somewhere I would like to be so it's not all that extraordinary, you'll find. However, how do we get out?"

"You don't get out, human."

"Have you a problem with our kind, O-magic-one? What are you, if it's so special?"

"You're not from under the wall then? We are Fae and Faeries and every other myth and fairytale you've ever heard."

"Ah, but what if my fairytales were full of monsters and murders. So what does that make you?"

Lucien looked at him as if he was finally seeing him, in a way Kaz was used to be looked at. Dirtyhands doesn't sleep. Kaz repeated himself from before: "How do we get out?"

"Who's we?"

"Not you. This is not a prince charming type of fairytale and I'm not your hero."

The red head lowered. He stared straight at the floor in front of him and started to speak, sounding like he was reciting words from a play: "Under The Mountain is a land-locked, desolate area. No seasons or regular times, only Under. Therefore, you are under a mountain once sacred to the Fae. She has marred it for her own pillaging. She will not be defeated." He sighed. "This cell: the locks move only when commanded by magic; there is only one guard, Rowan, but he is enough. He is a warrior older than the mountain itself." Lucien looked backwards, towards the bars as if fearing to be heard. "Some say he came here from a different world. Even with his powers restrained by Amarantha he is still the most feared non-High Fae."

Kaz took his time processing all this information, marking each detail and committing it to memory, though all he said was, "My, you do like hearing yourself talk."

At this, Lucien had looked even more disappointed. Kaz didn't particularly care.

He started to see aspects of his plan forming. "Portals?"

"Left open by lazy Attors, close at midnight. You need a golden key to re-open them. It was eleven bells about ten minutes ago."

Now, Kaz knew what he was doing. Well, sort of.

He pulled out a knife.

Because every good plan starts with a bit of bloodshed.

 **Hey guys so I know this is short but i wanted to update and I promise the next one will be longer and sooner**

 **Remember to vote and comment :)**

 **See you later x**


	8. Chapter 8

**8- Old Debts**

 **Rowan**

"You aren't leaving anytime soon, boy, so I suggest you sit down," He watched the human slip the knife he was holding behind him as he registered Rowan's voice.

"I'd rather not, thanks," The boy replied with a grin. He looked around at the mud and what looked to be hay trampled into the floor and corners of the cell. Rowan could see why he'd rather not.

A guard had informed him a few minutes ago that the boy was from a foreign human realm and Amarantha needed him (meaning keep him just about alive).

He assessed him from the other sides of the bars while the boy assessed him back. The boy favoured one side, possibly an old injury in one leg; he had a slender but cleanly cut frame; young, even for a human; he smelt like a city, a modern one- the kind Rowan tried to avoid- and he was way to confident for someone in a cell, so stupid, as well.

"Rowan," The boy said slowly, clearly trying to recall the name. "Would you say you're a good man?" Rowan had learnt to not even think about his answers to questions like that in this world. The Fae here, as far as he could see, were equally matched in power but seemed to have more peculiar gifts- more variety, not just one affinity.

Rowan stared, face blank. "Are you really on the Red Queen's side?" The boy tried again. _That_ was a long story that this boy, more than likely, wouldn't live long enough to hear.

Lucien still sat silently looking towards the dirt on the floor.

"My name is Kaz Brekker." It somehow sounded as if it should be a threat, even though Rowan hadn't asked. To his ancient ears, it was just another name. "And you look as if you could if you need Kaz Brekker, right now." Rowan knew desperation when he saw it- though it was well hidden, admittedly. "Got any secrets, Old Man?"

Rowan looked through the bars of the cell and felt something inside him stir at the scene. The boy- Kaz- reminded him of someone. Someone from a very long time ago. It had been centuries since he'd faced this kind of arrogance.

He tried to remember what he'd liked about it.

Despite the amount of time, he would never forget. _She_ was his queen, not this redhead who'd built herself a mountain and called it a throne.

Promises to stay alive and _good_ were no use to her now she was no longer here. He tried, though. He tried to stay good for her. But it was so long ago...

Rowan turned to leave as the boy called out: "What's that golden plate in the throne room mean, anyway?"

Rowan stopped. _His doom,_ he thought. Then cursed himself for thinking it. He didn't think he'd thought about the plate, let alone mentioned it... Maybe this boy was more than human.

He didn't smell it, he smelt extremely human: smoke and sweat and soap, nothing natural.

That plate was the only reason he was trapped here. Not that anyone, not even the stupid queen, knew that. He couldn't touch it and it couldn't touch him, but it's existence still grounded him to this broken world.

He looked back at the boy, Lucien still crouched in the corner of the unnaturally dark cell.

Through his air of unease or his silence, the boy knew. "Get me out of this cell and I'll take it." Rowan was extremely uncomfortable with the idea. Not only did the boy know too much but releasing him in this mountain of wolves wasn't exactly a mercy.

But Rowan had heard the scream. This human was fighting for someone. The same way _she_ would have done. Against all odds.

Rowan had wronged many people in his time. One of those mistakes had led him here. Would saving this boy set things straight? _She_ would have wanted him to. _She_ would have helped the human without a thought.

And she would have done it grinning...

Rowan turned to walk away again and looked back once. The boy understood and nodded. A slip of metal appeared in his hand. The locks were free.

For a few minutes, there would be no magic there.

Honestly, he could hold out against her magic for hours, but she would notice and the less these kind of monsters know about you, the better.

Was it selfishness to let the little boy out? Was it just Rowan's fools hope of him getting rid of the plate especially when it would probably cost the boy his life?

Rowan's ears pricked at the slight sound of metal against metal. He was far enough away that he didn't observe any of it- he didn't see the hairpin being twisted in the lock or the shift in the shadows as Kaz Brekker slipped through them. He heard but didn't see them.

Rowan didn't allow himself to think of what would happen if the boy managed to steal the plate. The Golden Plate of Erilea. Purest gold. Too pure to belong in this world, let alone under this mountain. It had words carved innately across its front in the old language. Rowan realised that that was probably why the boy had asked him about it- because of the tattoos in the old language covering his body.

So the boy was smart.

Did that make it better or worse that he'd just let him out?

 **Hey guys thanks for reading this rubbish**

 **Have you seen the new Empire of storms cover- it looks so good I want it now**

 **Comment and vote if you want more**

 **Bye xx**


	9. Chapter 9

**9- Wraithless**

 **Kaz**

The mountain was lightless.

Endless tunnels, all similar to the one he had originally portal-ed into, twisted and crossed, continuing without stopping. And virtually no lights.

There were doors at various intervals but Kaz didn't care to see what was inside. Obviously, he really didn't need to run into any unwanted attention but it also meant he had no idea where he was going. He could be passing the toilets for all he knew.

After mere minutes, Kaz was so frustrated he wanted to scream. He did, sensibly, decided against this as it was about as good as going to open all of these doors and asking if anyone wanted to lock him up again. _Where on earth were they keeping her?_

Kaz was losing it and he knew it. He needed to gather his thoughts and concentrate. He needed to work out a plan.

More hallways and plain rock, more identical doors and lack of light. Kaz stopped. Wandering aimlessly would get him nowhere.

The old hag on the throne said Inej would go with the lanky guy beside her. Admittedly, he looked important and evil enough to be favoured by the queen. Therefore, his room will be in a more ornate section. Kaz needed to look for more expensive designs.

And if there was one thing Kaz Brekker was good at, it was sniffing out things that were worth a lot.

Kaz followed sounds and smells of action. Anyone up at this hour was probably drunk or rich and still flaunting it. At least, that's how it worked in Ketterdam. Kaz reckoned that here, you probably had to be both all the time to get by.

He started slowly but soon picked up speed in his search. It wasn't long before Kaz was running through the tunnels and being pulled towards what his senses could detect. He could smell posh food and hear murmured voices. Soon, Kaz could see swirling patterns of gemstones lining the halls and fancier holders for the rare torch.

He slowed his pace as he approached a larger section in the hollowed out rock. Before him stood a door. Large, with golden leaf embedded into the surface and various types and colours of stones were set into the design. The Queen's room.

But only one room. Nobody else. No Lanky Pricks to be seen.

And more importantly, no Inej.

Kaz knew it had only been a few minutes but it felt a lot longer. He had until midnight. It can't have been that long, could it?

Kaz set off running again, his 'plan' long forgotten. He just needed Inej.

And his cane- his leg was killing him.

 _'Of all the ways I could die...'_ Kaz thought.

He was so caught up in thought he hadn't registered the increase in noise or the delicious smells.

 _'Pie?'_ And the light was upon him.

The kitchen was empty but had an open door at the other end. Presumably, that was where all the noise was coming from. Kaz looked around for weapons and exits and anything he could use to break Inej out. His eyes slowly adjusted to the light while he looked for something that might suffice as a cane.

Just when he thought he could see properly, there came another bright light.

"What in the name of- Kaz?" Kaz blinked once. Then again.

"Jesper, how did you get...? Oh, this is good. It means they're all still open. There's still time we need to find Inej and get to the other portals before they close."

"Kaz, explain. Now."

"We're fine but we need to find the portal room thingy that the ginger was going on about."

Jesper seemed a little stunned.

"Where's Inej?" Kaz could bearly see him in the lighting but he knew he was looking at him expectantly. Kaz sighed and picked up what looked to be a mince pie.

Jesper let out a sound of desperation before picking one up as well and heading towards the door Kaz had entered through. "Come on then."

As much as Kaz had plenty to be thinking about, he couldn't help but let his thoughts get stuck on the pain in his leg. Jesper didn't ask any more questions, or say anything at all to be honest, but Kaz knew he was noticing his pain. He could feel the pity.

Kaz ran faster.

And then came to a very abrupt halt.

Two of the spindly creatures that had carried him to the courtroom when he had first arrived were talking in hushed voices in front of a door- talking and laughing?

Kaz tucked himself and Jesper into an alcove.

The two nightmares performed a boney hand-shake and departed in different directions. Both boys held their breath as the one heading towards them went past.

"What the hell was that?" Asked Jesper.

"No time for questions." Jesper made a choking sound.

Slowly, they approached the door the creatures had been standing in front of.

Kaz hadn't opened a door all night and it was getting him nowhere. Was now the right time to start, though? He prayed that some of Inej's gods were routeing for her, and so, would help him now too.

Silently, Kaz's leather glove slipped around the door handle. The door was locked with a very old fashioned mechanism. It took Kaz mere seconds to pick it and allow himself and Jesper inside.

Kaz flicked his gaze to Jesper, watching as he took in the room. Jesper's gangly frame seemed to be more prominent when he was staring, mouth wide open. But, to be fair, the room was like nothing Kaz had ever seen. It was grand but clearly unused. There wasn't much in the way of furniture, but the walls and ceiling were carved out into shapes of cauldrons and earth. The centrepiece, however, was the doorless doorway in the middle of the room. Shaped in a semi-circle, it looked to be more expensive than the anything else in the whole room. A portal.

And it was open.

There were boxes and buttons around the portal, all just as finely made, all covered in the same amount of dust.

Where had those creatures been going?

What did they want with Ketterdam?

Just as his thoughts broke off, Kaz heard bells.

And panicked.

If that was twelve bells, they needed to leave. Right now.

But where was Inej? If the lanky prick had hurt her... Kaz stumbled.

Quickly straightening himself, he looked around the room. The portals couldn't close. They would be stuck here if they did. Kaz wondered if he was too used to Inej miraculously saving herself (and them) and so hadn't really thought he'd need to do anything but get to the portals, where she would be waiting.

He tried listening out for her, but gave up, knowing it was fruitless. You didn't hear the Wraith, you felt her. You felt your death approaching.

A creaking noise sounded, and then a bang.

Kaz whirled around to watch the light fade from the doorless doorways.

The portals had closed.

And Inej was still not with them.


	10. Chapter 10

**10- Melting Gold**

 **Inej**

Inej was hungry. Like, Nina hungry. And damn thirsty.

She had slipped out of the Lord's room quickly after he had mentioned they were on a time limit.

Inej was in a wild mood, tempted to try and threaten anyone with her claw just for a drink. Technically, Inej guessed she was quite like a fabricator. She had been able to melt the metal of the knives and control how they reshaped. But she felt powerful. She felt lethal.

Inej was running down corridors, using her newly found sense of smell and ability to see in the dark to guide her closer to the humans.

She could smell Kaz.

And not in the normal way she smelt him. Kaz had been city smoke and a fresh sent in the dirt of the Barrel. Now, he was human. So human.

So monstrous and worth protecting.

Inej could smell the fear on him and she didn't even know where he was.

Fear and _longing?_

What could Kaz possibly want right now?

Inej's thoughts groaned as she was hit with the thought. Stupid little boy.

The golden plate.

If Kaz ever wanted something it was either revenge or money.

Stupid boy.

But Inej knew he wouldn't leave without it and it was nearly twelve bells. She could make it.

The expanses of the corridors spread out before Inej. It was so dark she thought she could see stars blinking above her. Using her other sense, Inej set off again.

She followed the power she felt and the human smell, all the way down two flights of stair. Then when she knew she was close to the- _was that Jesper?_ \- she veered right, down a tunnel she knew led to the throne room.

The golden plate was humming for her. Her blood sparked. Thrilled. She felt thrilled.

She could feel how close she was to it.

Inej stopped running. She had reached a door.

The throne room was empty and silent. She knew before she'd even entered. That plate was power.

Inej had paused at the door but then heard bells.

She rushed. Anxiety pricked at her. _A human feeling,_ her mind tusked.

They were going to be too late. What if Kaz hadn't even made it there yet? What if they close even earlier?

Inej dashed through the room and grabbed the plate. Stopped. Gasped. Continued. She ran back the way she had come, blindly following his sent.

Not stopping or slowing to think, Inej pushed open another door and rushed inside.

Kaz whirled, wide-eyed, his coat fanning out behind him. Behind him stood a doorway and a beautifully made door. And Jesper.

Kaz looked back at the doors and then to Inej again.

"They closed." He said. Jesper gave out a low whistle.

Inej didn't think she'd ever been more relieved to see his lanky frame. Jesper was home, normality. "What are you holding?" He asked.

A claw in one hand and the golden plate in the other, Inej was only slightly surprised by the look of shock on Kaz's face.

"A plate that someone might have been after."

"That's a cup, Inej."

Inej looked down. Sure enough, the plate she'd been holding had moulded into the shape of a cup. "I'd just wanted a drink..."

Inej didn't know how to explain it to them.

"Gold." Kaz sucked in a breath. Typical Kaz, they were going to die, she wasn't even human and still hr was overjoyed with the prospect of money he might not even be alive to receive.

Inej stared at the exquisite doors behind them. These two had seen them open. _What if they didn't lead to home?_ Inej thought suddenly.

 _'You'll go where the universe deems you need to be.'_ A voice in her mind whispered. Mind shatterer.

"Yes, gold, Kaz. But how are we going to get home?" Jesper asked.

Kaz spun around grinning and said slowly: "Inej, dear, where did you get those claws?"

"I grew them."

He chucked. "Grow us a golden key, would you, dear. One that looks just like that." He pointed to an ornate design on the wall that was set above a large keyhole. When Inej and Jesper looked confused, Kaz explained- very briefly- about his encounter with a prisoner and a guard and the need for a golden key to open the portals.

Inej didn't realise she had even started. She concentrated on the design and could soon feel the gold melting, though it wasn't hot.

For a few seconds, Inej felt a part of the material. Lethal, animal and gold, all in one night.

Inej looked up to find Jesper staring with his mouth open quite ungraciously.

She looked to Kaz, who of course was unfazed, and handed him the key. He swirled around and inserted the gold into the keyhole.

He was confident as ever, but it was odd to watch. This had ever reason not to work. But still, he turned the key expectantly.

Inej wasn't really sure why, but she didn't want to see whether it worked or not. She turned away.

And noticed something.

More home. More familiarity.

Kaz's cane was propped up against the wall. Inej couldn't imagine how it had gotten there. But then again, she couldn't imagine being able to manipulate the very fabric of matter.

As Inej slide over the cane, the room got brighter and brighter. The portals were opening.

Jesper made a noise, probably covering his eyes. Kaz simply said, "Oh how nice of that Rowan kid. Come along Inej," When he observed Inej getting his support.

Stupid boy.

Inej felt a little saddened at the thought of not having this amazing power back in Ketterdam but quickly decided that she was power anyway and if anyone had anything to say about it, they could meet her newly acquired claws.

And so, they ran once more towards the light; only this time there were three.

And a reason.

 **Hey, thanks for reading**

There will probably be another chapter or two (exploring Inej and Kaz's relationship more) so stick around

 **Vote** and **Comment** just 'cause yeah that'd be great and I'd really like to know what you guys think about this

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